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Small Business Management

Objectives

Business Schools have invested strongly in the development of Entrepreneurship courses, focusing on new venture creation and the people involved in the start-up of a business. While this is certainly important, it also makes sense to teach Small Business Management, a course that exposes students to the objectives, challenges, and requirements for effectively managing a small to mid-sized business, i.e. assuming that the venture in question is already in existence and therefore spending less time with start-up related issues.

While studying small businesses and the people involved in those organizations, students will be exposed to the theory as well as the experiences associated with small businesses management and growth. Topics will include the key decisions required of the entrepreneur/manager, the driving forces of the small business, opportunity identification, planning, marketing and team building. Emphasis will be placed on the integration of theories, concepts and frameworks with real-life experiences.

General characterization

Code

2446

Credits

3.5

Responsible teacher

Alexandre Wende Dias da Cunha

Hours

Weekly - Available soon

Total - Available soon

Teaching language

English

Prerequisites

Available soon

Bibliography

Jerome Katz and Richard Green: Entrepreneurial Small Business / Edition 4 (ISBN-13: 9780078029424 / ISBN-10: 0078029422) (tbc).

Additional reading material (articles, cases, etc.) will be made available during the course.

Teaching method

Students are expected to prepare the materials announced in advance (readings and/or cases) and consequently to participate in class in a meaningful way (i.e. with inputs that improve the quality of learning of the class). The course will combine theoretical concepts with a practical view, namely by accessing first-hand the real-life example of a resident small- business owner who will be present in all the sessions and share real-life.

The following methods will be used:

  • Lectures;

  • Case discussions and practical exercises;

  • Real-life examples shared by the course's resident small business owner;

  • Individual project (optional).

Evaluation method

The final exam is mandatory and must cover the entire span of the course. Its weight in the final grade can be between 30 to 70%. The remainder of the evaluation can consist of class participation, midterm exams, in class tests, etc. Overall, written in class assessment (final exam, midterm) must have a weight of at least 50%.

Final grades will be determined by the following inputs, depending on individual students personal choice between two options (A and B):

  • Class participation: 20% (option A) or 15% (option B)

  • Group assignments: 30% (option A) or 25% (option B)

  • One final exam: 50% (option A and option B)

  • One Individual Project: 20% (option B only)

Subject matter

  • Session 1: Introduction and Overview;

  • Session 2: Competitive advantage in Small Business;

  • Session 3: Pathways to owning a Small Business;

  • Session 4: Business Plans and Cash Flow Management;

  • Session 5: Pricing, Pricing and Promotion;

  • Session 6: Location and E-commerce;

  • Session 7: Supply Chain Management: definitions, drivers and fit;

  • Session 8: SCM: purchasing and inventory management;

  • Session 9: People management;

  • Session 10: Legal issues and risk management;

  • Session 11: Special challenges of family-owned businesses;

  • Session 12: Governance and Ethics in Small Business.

Programs

Programs where the course is taught: